


Loyal as the Grave

by flightinflame



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Friendship, Gen, Loyalty, Original Percival Graves & Theseus Scamander Friendship, Protective Original Percival Graves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-02-05
Packaged: 2019-03-08 18:29:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13464027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flightinflame/pseuds/flightinflame
Summary: Percival Graves has a reputation as a cold and distant man. It's a reputation he's happy with, but he is protective of those who get past his gruff exterior.Or: 5 times Percival Graves protected a colleague/friend he cared about and 1 time they protect him





	1. Seraphina Picquery

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this prompt: https://fantasticbeasts-kinkmeme.dreamwidth.org/459.html?thread=811723#cmt811723

Percival Graves, Wampus, Prefect, fifth year. The name alone carried respect. He was looked up to by most of the other students, those who knew who he was, who his family were. There was the occasional sneering comment from those whose lineages were almost as grand as his own, but he knew that he was the best duelist in the school. He had no friends. He didn't need them - there was no space for friendship in the life that had been mapped out for him.

He had been born to sacrifice himself at MACUSA's altar. He would pass Ilvermorny with top marks, become an auror, and within ten years be leading the department. With any luck he would manage another twenty before he lost his life in service.

His father had died the previous summer, an ambush on a raid. For now, a cousin had stepped in to fill the gap, but he knew where he was meant to be. He just had to get there.

He turned a corner, startled by what he saw. Fontaine and a couple of his friends - Grimsditch, and one of the Crabbe brothers - had cornered a girl in the year below. Fontaine was snarling in her face, and she looked frightened.  
"Run on home to the plantations little girl, your type aren't wanted here."

Percival flicked out with his wand, sending the three assailants flying away, and hurried over to the girl, holding out his hand to help her up to her feet. Her eyes looked a little damp.  
"Mudblood lover," Fontaine snorted. "You know her Grandmama was a slave?" With that, he sauntered away. She looked at him almost angrily.  
"Percival Graves," he introduced himself, holding out his hand. She stared at it, then turned away.  
“I had it under control,” she muttered, her face angled away from him. “I didn’t need to be rescued by someone like you.”  
"I know you," he continued, startled by her snub. "You're the horned serpent girl. The once in a generation witch."

At that, she hesitated, and turned towards him.  
"They say I confused them," her expression was wary, waiting to see how he reacted to that.  
"Those statues don't get confused," Percival said simply. "If they said you were remarkable, there's a reason for it."

"You should go," she said softly. "Trouble follows me around, because I know what I'm doing and it scares boys like them. They think they can put me back in my place."  
"They know their name doesn't mean much if there's raw talent around. Someone like you? Someone remarkable?" He smiled at her. "You frighten them."

"Good," she answered, and there was fire there. That fire lit a spark in him. From that day, he knew that this girl would be the one to change things. And he knew he wanted to be at her side when he did it.  
"Percival Graves at your service Ma'am," he introduced himself again, bowing a little. "It's a pleasure to meet someone with real talent."

The smile she gave him in return was fragile, but it was real.  
"Seraphina."

***

Twenty years passed, and Fontaine and his cronies faded into obscurity. Percival Graves sat at the newly elected President's right hand, watching her as she laid out her plans for MACUSA, for the rebuilding of wizardkind after the war which had nearly torn the magical community apart. He watched as she batted down the challenges senators raised, her voice calm. Part of him still felt like that teenager, in awe at the strength he had just seen.

He knew now that Fontaine and the others had been right to be afraid. President Picquery was changing the face of American magic, and those who had held status because of their name alone had begun to fall. Percival suspected that it was about time.

He stayed close, guarding her from those who wanted to kill her. He couldn't change things, but he could protect her, and she could transform the world.

When one of the senators got to his feet, wand drawn to attack, she merely nodded her permission. With a sweep of his hand he brought the senator to his knees at her feet. She looked down at him and shook her head.  
"The old ways are dying Senator Roche. You either change with them, or fall behind. Graves, remove him to the cells." Her attention turned to the other senators there. "Does anyone wish to join him?" 

Knowing that Seraphina could handle this, Graves left to take the Senator away.  
"Traitor," the older man hissed at him. "You're from one of the families, like me. She's no one-"  
"She is my President," Graves said simply, and cast a silencing spell to end the conversation there.


	2. Theseus Scamander

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for WWI

Whoever thought that No-Majs were weak because they lacked magic had no real understanding of the world. That was what Percival had decided, two weeks into hell. The No-Majs kept each others spirits up, shared their gifts from home, laughed together. He would sit in the mud, using magic to try and warm his feet and stop them from rotting, and someone would pass around candies from a family they'd probably never see again. In a way it was intoxicating.

He had his gloves - the finest dragonskin, charmed by Seraphina herself to protect him. He had his wand concealed upon him - magic was not meant to be visible, but no one would ask a wizard to leave their wand behind when they stepped into this living nightmare. 

He received letters from Seraphina, and drafted replies. Half the No-Majs thought he was writing to a sweetheart, and he didn't argue - even asked her to send a photograph that didn't move, so he could share the picture when they talked. He was sat trying to compose a letter that wasn't merely a pile of expletives about the weather when someone sat beside him.

A glance up identified Lieutenant Scamander, the other wizard in his unit. The Brit flopped down, casting a quick cushioning charm.  
"How's your friend?"  
"Tired," Percival answered. "She's doing well though. Turns out that with half of MACUSA at war, spaces have opened up for women. Always told her she'd go far, and she's got her sights on the top."

Theseus nodded, sighing slightly.   
"They're talking about making magic response squads. Letting us use what we can do freely, away from the others - there've been a couple of werewolf reports down the line, and rumours of trolls sighted at Villers-Bretonneux.” 

"You want to join them?" Percival asked. He knew that Theseus had thrown himself into working with the No-Majs, enjoyed commanding them.  
"I want to join," Theseus said, his voice shaking slightly. "Remember Peyton?"

Percival considered, then nodded. A young No-Maj, probably too young for the war for all he'd insist he was eighteen. Blown to pieces two days after Percival arrived, when Theseus was standing close to him.  
"Same age as my brother," Theseus muttered. "Couldn't get him sent home, and couldn't shield him. Half the time, I'm fighting for people and they aren't..." his voice trailed off and he whimpered a little. Percival dug into his wooden box, pulling out some of the candy Seraphina had sent him. He handed it over to Theseus, who ate it, lost in thought. A wave of Percival's wand set the kettle to boiling, and tea floated over to them both. Theseus managed a smile at that.

"Knew I'd convert you," he teased, and then the world fell apart. Percival still had his wand in his hand, so he cast a shield over the two of them, scrambling to hold it as the ceiling of the dugout collapsed down upon them, the air filling with mud and the scent of fire. He managed to hold onto a air pocket, grabbing Theseus, and casting a muffling spell as the explosion ripped through their trench, the bomb which had landed on top of them sending shards of metal piercing through them. He felt a sharp piercing pain in his ribs, and agony overwhelmed him for a few seconds, leaving him lost.

Theseus groaned in the sudden darkness, and Percival reached out for his hand.  
"I can't feel my leg," Theseus muttered. Percival reached, following the outline of his friend's body. His leg was there, but it was mangled and bloody. A few murmured spells held what was left together, and he tried to widen the air pocket they were in. He could hear the groans of dying men around them, and Theseus was shaking.

"It's alright," Percival told him softly, thinking of the death he had seen, of the corpses rotting on the wire. They were buried alive, and neither of them were in any fit state to get out of there.  
"Light," Theseus begged. "Please, please, I don't-" He fell silent, but Percival knew. He didn't want to die in the dark.  
"Lumos," Percival murmured, glancing down and seeing what state their injuries were in. He instantly wished he hadn't.  
"Help's coming," he promised Theseus, holding him close, trying to gather the strength to send out a charm seeking help. He didn't know where the nearest wizard was. Theseus nodded, his face drained with exhaustion. Percival gripped his hand.  
"Help is coming Theseus. Stay with me."

He was barely awake himself when a burst of fresh air flooded over them, and they were dug out, helped onto stretchers. He didn't even know if they were No-Maj medics or magical healers. All that mattered was that they were out.  
"Theseus?"  
"He's going to be okay," the man beside him promised, and Percival let the darkness take him.


	3. Queenie Goldstein

Returning from the war, resuming his position as an auror, had been tough. It had been beyond amazing to see Seraphina again, and a week didn't go by without a fresh letter from Theseus landing on his desk, full of new adventures. But he was back at work now, trying to advance up the path that had stretched ahead of him, the path that led to only one destination. He tried not to let himself get drawn into those thoughts. It was easier to pretend that he was just another auror.

Seraphina continued to climb, and Percival watched her with admiration. After Ilvermorny, after a childhood of being told she didn't belong, she was changing everything. And he did what he could from her shadow.

He had a team of more junior aurors under him now, was heading the Minor Investigations Department. A few more years, and he'd probably find himself leading the Magical Security Department itself. For now, he was happy to spend his time solving the less major crimes.

It was seen as a relatively easy posting, so there was a constant cycle of aurors who had been injured, or had their confidence shaken. There were also those who had come back from the war no longer whole, wanting to serve in the only role they knew, but too haunted by what they had seen to handle the more major cases. Percival learned how to work with them, how to paper over the cracks so that they could get through each day.

He felt he was doing something worthwhile, despite the pressure to gain a promotion. He had a team that he worked well with, and tracking down No-Maj born children, helping those who had been robbed, preventing smuggling - all of them were of benefit to MACUSA. He worked long hours, but it was worth it. He was sat at his desk one evening, staring at a half completed record, when a knock came at his door.

"Come in?" He called, and in stepped the young witch who brought around the coffee most mornings - Junior Auror Goldstein's younger sister. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she had been crying. He couldn't remember her name. "Take a seat Miss Goldstein."  
"Queenie," she provided without prompting, tucking herself into the chair and smiling up at him damply. "Thank you."  
"That's alright, now, what can I do for you this evening?"

"I'm worried about one of the guys who works maintenance, Halen?" she twisted the hem of her skirt in her fingers. Percival frowned before he remembered - Max Halen was a very weak wizard, from a foreign family. There had been rumours at Ilvermorny that he was a squib. He had mastered a few basic spells, but nothing more complicated, and had dropped out after his third year in disgrace.  
"What about him?" Percival prompted her.

"He owes some money to a couple of the obliviators, nothing serious but he can't pay it back right now. He's said he's gonna pay them next month, but they're getting angry and they're planning on beating him before work tomorrow morning - he always grabs a smoke before he comes in, and they plan to corner him."

"I can ensure there is an auror there to prevent that," Percival told her, and visible relief washed over her. She slipped away, and he pushed any thought of her appearance aside - she was well known for being a gossip.

***

After the Halen case though, it was like the floodgates opened. At least once a week Queenie would appear, sometimes even slipping him a note when she handed him his coffee. She warned him of robberies, assaults, even of a plan to murder an older wizard for his inheritance. It was strange, but her information was flawless.

Two months after their arrangement began, she ran into his office, frantic.  
"Director Graves?"  
"What is it? Take a seat, now-"  
"No, please. It's William Crabbe - he's taken a liking to a No-Maj girl. He's got her locked in his basement, and he's planning to kill her when he gets home from work. I can take you there." Her desperation made him hurry, and he raced with her through the streets to a run down tenement block. He quickly walked inside, finding a woman half-conscious in a corner. He sent Queenie to fetch a healer, and lay in wait to trap Crabbe when he returned.

The next morning, he sent for Queenie. She walked into his office, her face pale.  
"Sit down," he told her. When she was seated, he began. "Crabbe might have been stupid, but he wasn't stupid enough to tell anyone that. So I have two options. One is that you've been feeding people truth serums-" Queenie's eyes widened and she shook her head. He held up a hand to calm her.  
"The second is that you're an unregistered legilimens. A powerful one."

Queenie bit her lip, and looked down, not saying anything.  
"You've kept it secret?"  
"I never wanted to be an auror," she explained. "I just want to have fun, to relax, and my parents always told me I'd have to hide it. I don't want to interrogate people. I'm just here to make coffee, and I like it like that."

Percival knew he should report her. He also knew she must have realised he would guess.  
"Why did you tell me?"  
"Because those people didn't deserve to get hurt, and I could stop it."  
He nodded, considering.   
"And my thoughts?"  
"Your shields are strong sir. Only vague sensations."  
"Alright," Percival answered. "I'm not going to turn you in."  
Relief shone in her eyes, and he held up a hand to finish his piece. She fell silent.  
"I would like it if you continued to tell me of anything of interest - either through your sister, or by talking to me. And in an emergency, when you might be able to save a life, I will let you know. But you will never be forced to conduct an interrogation, and I will try not to ask too often."  
"Thank you sir," Queenie whispered, and he smiled a little at her.

"You're a brave woman Queenie Goldstein."  
She blushed and scurried away, and he smiled. He felt he'd managed to do something right today.


	4. Tina Goldstein

Percival worked the aurors under his command hard. It was important, to keep them focused, to ensure that targets were met and that problems were avoided. To do anything else risked disaster. He had to close the cases that he acquired, and that didn't leave much time for niceties. If there was a dark wizard on the loose, then the men and women who he commanded were expected to sacrifice their time and if need be their lives to get things back under control.

He demanded the best from them, and would not tolerate laziness or ignorance, wouldn't allow them to shirk from their duties because they weren't in the mood. If they were working for him, they would ensure that they delivered needed results, on time. All the aurors knew this. He found that he had a reputation beyond his own department, of being tough. He didn't mind that, not when it was the truth. He didn't have time to babysit someone on the case, and if an auror wasn't up to the job it was better for everyone that they dropped out than continued and put lives at risk.

But the men and women that he worked with would be protected with everything he had. He would have no problem threatening anyone who came close to hurting them, risking his own life to block them from being harmed. He would storm into meetings with Seraphina, laying out to his oldest friend why his department was unable to do what was asked, what they needed to ensure their safety - and he wouldn't accept no as an answer. Not when it came to the security of his men and women, those who he relied on to get through each day.

When Siegel was killed on duty, taken out by a wayward spell sent by a trafficker in cursed objects, his partner had been beside him. Percival supported her, allowing her to place his name on the aurors' wall of honour, and let her give his eulogy. He supported her back into the field, and when it was clear she could no longer work the way she had, he supported her in a transfer to a desk job.

When Lacey was struck by a burning spell in the middle of a standoff, Percival dropped his own defenses to extinguish the fires that crept up on his robes. When Jauncey went missing he worked day and night to bring her home. He did whatever he could to keep his aurors safe.

When Seraphina and one of the top obliviators stormed into his office, a dejected Goldstein following in their wake, he raised an eyebrow.  
"Wait outside auror," he commanded her, before turning to the others. "What did she do?"

"She caused a mass incident," the obliviator began to explain, before Seraphina silenced him with a regal wave of her hand. Seraphina was trembling slightly, and Percival could see the fear in her eyes.  
"You know of the Second Salemites?"  
Percival nodded. A minor threat - some of their information was good, but not enough to be a risk. They were the kind of group that sprung up regularly, claiming to have discovered a truth. As long as they were supervised, they posed no threat. Auror Goldstein had been meant to supervise them. She had joined their meetings, posed as one of their converts, expressed an interest in their teachings. She had reported back. He had read some of her reports - her hatred of the woman who ran the group came across clearly. He hadn't read them all - there were more major issues to deal with, and she was under orders to tell him directly if she discovered anything significant.

"She attacked their leader. As the last of her followers were leaving from a meeting, she stepped up and attacked her."  
"Please tell me she punched her?" Percival muttered, rubbing at his forehead. The expression on Seraphina's face showed him that his worst fears were confirmed.  
"She used magic in front of a group that want to bring back the burnings?"

"She did. She threw the woman against the wall, she lost control like some child in their first year at Ilvermorny. We've been busy half the afternoon ensuring anyone who witnessed what happened was obliviated, and we still don't know we got them all."   
"She should be imprisoned-" the obliviator muttered, and Percival shot him a glare.  
"I will decide what happens, thank you," Percival said firmly. It was clear she couldn't stay an auror, but he wanted to hear her side before he chose what happened next. "Please send her in to speak with me. I want to talk with her. In private."   
Seraphina nodded.   
"I'm sorry," she said softly to him.   
He shook his head.  
"I'm sorry one of my aurors has caused you this much trouble."

Seraphina nodded and left. There was nothing else she could say. The obliviator trailed in her wake. 

Tina walked in, looking shamefaced. She squirmed a little where she stood.  
"Auror Goldstein," Percival greeted, not instructing her to sit down. "I want to hear your own explanation of what has happened."  
"I couldn't stand it any more sir. She beats those children, and she hates him - the state she leaves him in Sir, I couldn't not act."

Percival sighed, and gestured for her to sit.  
"You know as well as I do that we can't interfere with the actions of No-Maj's."  
"He's not a No-Maj Sir, I'm sure of it. He's a squib."  
Tears shone in Goldstein's eyes, and Percival sighed slightly. She would make a fine auror one day, when she had learned how to keep her emotions under her control. For now, she was just a hazard, too passionate and caring. Something she and her sister had in common, he supposed. Law meant little to them when there were lives at stake.

"I will investigate this myself. For now, you are demoted. I want you in the wand permit office while I carry out my research, and I want you to stay away from those Second Salemers. You aren't being sent to prison for this Tina. But if you go near there -"  
She nodded, her eyes blazing. He reached out and squeezed her hand across the table.  
"I'll keep an eye on him. If I see any evidence of magic, we can pull him out."

That at least made Tina relax a little.  
"His name is Credence sir. He's a good child. They all are."  
"Thank you for bringing this case to me Miss Goldstein. Now, pack up your desk, I'll file the transfer paperwork."

She nodded, scrambling to her feet and trying to blink back tears.  
"Miss Goldstein?" Percival called out after her. "This doesn't need to be permanent. Prove to me you can do your job, and we'll have you back."

She didn't reply, hurrying away. Percival rubbed his forehead, trying to chase away the headache that was brewing, and started to fill in the necessary forms.


	5. Credence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for delay, computer broke!

Percival knew that some No-Maj's didn't have much. He understood the concept of poverty, lived among those it affected. He knew MACUSA could do little to help, wanting to stay undetected.

It was the gap they left that groups like the Second Salemites filled. They'd be happy to give you a meal, if you would listen, and spread their story. Percival knew that offering food was how they drummed up much of their support, wondered if this was a weakness of his community. But it was how things were done. They couldn't feed every waif and stray the city had.

Still, if it meant so much to his auror, he was sure he would be able to assist one individual. He attended a meeting of the Second Salemites, listening to the vitriol their leader spewed. It made his skin crawl. To hear someone speak so openly about wanting him destroyed, and the images on the walls of broken wands and fires - he thought of his ancestors, and told himself he would never allow the world she wanted to create to come to pass. 

To distract himself from her litany of horrors, he watched the children. There were three of them - two who were adults really, despite their shyness and obvious fear, and one child. The oldest of them, that must have been Credence, the boy that Tina had abandoned her job to save. He wondered if he should have brought Queenie here, but waved that thought aside. Even if the boy had even a trace of magic, he would never admit it. To challenge him would only frighten him. 

His mother had no idea of what had happened with Tina, yet her gaze kept drawing to Percival. He smiled back at her, nodding and reciting the prayers. At least he could see something when she spoke of the wonders of the city. Ideas like hers were fading back into history.  
"What drew you to our meeting today?" she challenged him, and he startled.  
"I heard about you from the people I work with. They said you had some interesting ideas. That you were worth listening to."  
As he had suspected, she preened at the compliment, flashing him a brilliant smile.

"And you choose to seek truth?"  
"Always," he agreed. Truth was what mattered, and doing what was right. She was in the wrong, and the looks her son shot at her proved that. When the meeting finally broke up, Percival fled to the street outside.

He could understand now why Tina had chosen to help the younger man, even if she had gone about it in an awful way. There was a desperation about him that was almost hypnotising. If he was a squib, then rescuing him would only be right.

He stayed in the area, buying a coffee in a nearby cafe. He watched the door to the church, saw the small crowd of children who entered and then left a few minutes later. They came out, each carrying a small stack of papers. Percival left the cafe, taking a leaflet from the little girl, Credence's sister.

The leaflet gave the dates for the next services, and warned of the dangers the city was facing. Percival crumpled it up, walking into a deserted alleyway so that he could set fire to the leaflet. The ash drifted down to the ground, and he turned away, his lip curling. The boy he was waiting for hadn't emerged, and he had work to do.

***

He returned that evening when his work was done. The streets were full of men walking home from the office. The children had dispersed, but the young man was standing outside. Looking at him, Percival could see he was shivering a little. He was standing above a grate, where steam seeped out from the ground. The warmest spot in the street, and he was standing there. His clothes were smart, but worn and thin, and without magic Percival assumed that he was suffering.

He approached, and the boy backed away slightly, before recognising him.  
"You were the man... you attended the meeting earlier?"  
"I did," Percival agreed, holding out his hand. "Peter Graves."  
"Hello Mister Graves," Credence answered. "Credence Barebone. I can fetch Ma, if you have any questions about the meeting earlier-"  
"That won't be necessary," Percival answered, quickly cutting him off. "It's you I want to speak to."

Credence hesitated, and glanced down.  
"Sir, I can't..." he swallowed a little.   
"I don't want to hurt you," Percival told him softly. "I promise,"  
"Ma will be angry if I'm too late home," Credence answered, and there was fear in his eyes now. Percival wondered what it was that frightened him - whether it was Percival, or the woman he was meant to be trusting. Neither of those were a positive option, each laying out information that he didn't want to consider.

"It won't be long," Percival promised. "I just thought you could talk to me about your Mother’s beliefs. I can pay for your time-"  
"I'm not allowed," Credence started, and Percival sighed a little.  
"Let me buy you a coffee, and we can talk."

Credence seemed to be weighing up his options. As he considered, a harsh burst of wind swept down the street, and Credence flinched.  
"I don't need a coffee sir, just water?"  
"What about cocoa?" Percival suggested, and the boy nodded quickly, his eyes shining. Percival led him to a cafe not far away from the church, ordering cocoa for Credence, and a coffee for himself. After a moment, he decided to buy Credence a slice of cake.

The boy looked at it in wonder, but fell upon it, devouring the slice faster than Percival would have thought possible. He squirmed a little when he saw Percival was looking at him.  
"What did you want to know Sir?"  
"I just wondered why your mother seemed so sure about magic."

"She has listened to stories from her family, and she has researched. She has a lot of evidence, although I don't know all of it."  
"Have you ever witnessed magic?" Percival prompted, careful merely to sound curious.

"Ma has," Credence answered, and a look of guilt crossed his face. He took a couple of slow deep breaths, and then shook his head.  
"I haven't."

Percival found himself contemplating the possibility of using a truth serum for the boy's own good. He couldn't do that to him.   
"Thank you."  
"What did you want to know?"  
"Just curious about that, and your mother's charity work."

"Thank you," Credence murmured. "I'm happy to answer things."  
Percival asked a few brief questions, considering what had happened. He wound up the conversation before Credence had finished his drink.  
"Thank you Mister Graves."  
"It's alright. If I think of any other questions?"  
"I hand out leaflets every day," Credence answered. "Most evenings I am by the church. Thank you."

"I'll be in touch," Percival answered, getting up and leaving the cafe, leaving the boy to finish the drink alone. He didn't think he'd got through to him, but he would carry on trying. Tina might not be right about his being a squib, but he still needed kindness. Percival would give him that.


	6. +1 Percival

Newt stood in the large hall, surrounded by aurors. The President, Picquery, was staring down at him.  
"Thank you for your assistance Mister Scamander," she said softly, clear concern written across her face.   
"You're welcome," Theseus answered. "I'm glad that someone has finally brought Grindelwald into custody, and when I heard what had happened-" he reached out and squeezed Newt's arm. "I thought we should get here as fast as possible. I want to find the real Graves."

There was a rumour of agreement, and the President nodded.  
"We all want his safe return. The best you can do is see what you can learn from the prisoner. Mister Scamander," she addressed Newt. "If any of your creatures could assist, then their help would be gratefully received by all of us."

Newt nodded, and the aurors were set into teams to complete the search. Queenie and Tina were waiting for him. Tina's eyes were red, and she was fidgeting where she stood. Queenie looked similarly distraught.  
"They're going to be searching his house and things," Queenie said, and Newt nodded his confirmation. "So I thought we'd better look in his office."

Newt nodded again, a little surprised. The aurors being concerned was unsurprising. But he wouldn't have expected his friends to be so concerned. Theseus wasn't the kind to rush across the world. Even getting Grindelwald wasn't the kind of thing to lure his brother to abandon everything.  
"We like Mister Graves," Queenie said softly, and he blushed at the realisation he had been overheard. "He's tough, but-"  
"If any of us were missing, he'd be looking," Tina said simply. Her voice sounded firm.

Newt nodded, and went into his case. He pulled out the niffler, and Tina paled.  
"You gotta be kidding me," she muttered. Newt paused.   
"He's smart."  
"He's going to cause chaos," Tina muttered. "Queenie, that's a niffler. It's a tiny little demon."

Queenie giggled slightly and nodded her agreement.  
"Well, it's good to meet him."  
"Thank you," Newt carefully placed the niffler down on the floor, and pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket.  
"Where did you get that?"  
"I borrowed it earlier from Grindelwald," Newt admitted. "I thought it might come in useful."   
Tina's lips pressed together, looking unimpressed, but she said nothing so Newt continued.

He held the handkerchief out to the niffler. The niffler regarded it curiously, turning it over in his small paws, and glanced curiously up at Newt.  
"We've been practicing this," Newt said in explanation "They have an amazing sense of smell. He knows that if he does find what he is looking for, I'll get him something nice and shiny... what about a new watch strap?" he asked the niffler, cooing at him. The niffler scurried up into the glass case, racing along the shelves. He paused regularly, paws rubbing against the objects before discarding them and moving on.

He picked up a silver cigarette case from the shelf, holding it in his paw before carefully stuffing it into his pouch.  
"He's a thief," Tina muttered. Newt held out his hand, stopping her.  
"Let's see," he mumbled. After a moment, the niffler slipped out from the cabinet, dropping the cigarette case at Newt's feet.

"If you could provide cover," Newt instructed Tina, handing the niffler to Queenie and then opening the case.

There was a bright flash of light, and the figure of a man appeared on the floor of the office. He was wearing dirty clothes, his hair long and eyes unfocused. He started snarling the second he was freed, and Queenie yelped and ran off as Tina kept her wand trained on the man.

Newt looked down at him, curious but not wanting to risk getting too close because the man was snarling at him, gnashing his teeth, driven by fury. The President raced into the room, followed by aurors and Newt's brother. The man was swept away, and Newt was left in the background with the niffler.

***

Percival opened his eyes, feeling a little lost. he was surprised to discover that he was no longer imprisoned in the dark. Instead, he was in a comfortable bed, with Theseus Scamander at his side.

Seeing he was awake, Scamander sent a note, and then went to his side.   
"Good to see you."  
"Wish I could say the same," Theseus teased. "I've let the President know you're awake."  
"You found me?"  
"My brother did," Theseus answered. "You gave us a scare."  
"What happened? What did he do? Are my aurors ... Did he kill them?"  
"Your aurors are fine. We managed to stop him before he did any lasting harm."  
"And Credence?"  
Theseus hesitated.  
"Recovering," he explained, and Percival nodded. Concerns eased, he let himself sleep again. 

When he woke again, Seraphina was by his side, with ex-auror Goldstein nearby. He knew he was safe, and struggled to sit up.  
"Miss me?"

***

The answer in that came in the next few days, as various aurors and others from the department came to visit. It was strange. Percival had always thought that he was apart from them, that they worked for him and had their own friendships which he was denied. Theseus and Seraphina were his friends - but Seraphina had a country to run, and Theseus was meant to be in Europe.

When he had been a prisoner, he had consoled himself with the knowledge that no one would miss him. Given the constant company he had received ever since he had been rescued, he had to admit that he had misjudged the situation there.

It didn't matter. This was better. Although, now that ex-auror Goldstein's suspicions about Credence had been proven correct, he suspected she deserved her job back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
